Detect impact of network maintenance in software defined infrastructure

ABSTRACT

A system may assist with checking policy impact in a software-defined infrastructure environment. The system&#39;s data analysis may enable it to discover and quantify the impact of policies on software-defined infrastructure objects in the same or different layers.

CROSS-REFERENCE RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/373,284, filed on Apr. 2, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,833,937, issuedon Nov. 10, 2020, entitled “DETECT IMPACT OF NETWORK MAINTENANCE INSOFTWARE DEFINED INFRASTRUCTURE,” the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Communication networks have migrated from using specialized networkingequipment executing on dedicated hardware, like routers, firewalls, andgateways, to software defined networks (SDNs) executing as virtualizednetwork functions (VNF) in a cloud infrastructure. To provide a service,a set of VNFs may be instantiated on the general purpose hardware. EachVNF may require one or more virtual machines (VMs) to be instantiated.In turn, VMs may require various resources, such as memory, virtualcentral processing units (vCPUs), and network interfaces or networkinterface cards (NICs). Cloud systems are complex multi-layer hardwareand software systems that consist of multiple components, interactingwith each other through complicated mechanisms. The operation andmanagement of a large-scale cloud is highly susceptible to anomaliesthrough faulty maintenance. Proactively identifying the root causes isoften difficult to predict or diagnose even with the skilled operators.

This disclosure is directed to addressing issues in the existingtechnology.

SUMMARY

The emergence of network function virtualization (NFV) and softwaredefined networking (SDN) has resulted in networks being realized assoftware defined infrastructures (SDIs). The dynamicity and flexibilityoffered by SDIs introduces new challenges in ensuring that policychanges do not result in unintended consequences. These can range fromthe breakdown of basic network invariants, to degradation of networkperformance. Disclosed herein is a platform for safe DEployment ofPOlicy in a Software Defined Infrastructure (e.g., Depo). The Depoframework (or referred herein as Depo) may enable automated discoveryand quantification of the potential impact of new orchestration andservice level SDI policies. The disclosed approach may use knowledgemodeling, data analysis, machine learning, or emulation techniques in asandbox SDI.

In an example, a vehicle may include a processor and a memory coupledwith the processor that effectuates operations. The operations mayinclude generating an emulation environment; running an emulation, anddetermining an impact based on the running emulation.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore,the claimed subject matter is not limited to limitations that solve anyor all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are notnecessarily drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary flow for DEployment of POlicy (Depo) ina Software Defined Infrastructure.

FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary Evolved Packet Core (EPC) architecture.

FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary SMORE architecture.

FIG. 3 illustrates Depo in the context of an SDI.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary model.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary method for Depo.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary update policy subgraph.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary topology with multiple locations.

FIG. 8 illustrates Orchestration time in an exemplary implementation.

FIG. 9 illustrates KG insertion time in an exemplary implementation.

FIG. 10 illustrates policy parsing time in an exemplary implementation.

FIG. 11 illustrates parameter generation time in an exemplaryimplementation.

FIG. 12 data analysis time in an exemplary implementation.

FIG. 13 illustrates a Normalized mean squared error (NMSE) calculatedover error between ground truth, and predictions of model created byDepo for an exemplary implementation.

FIG. 14 illustrates a schematic of an exemplary network device.

FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary communication system that provideswireless telecommunication services over wireless communicationnetworks.

FIG. 16A is a representation of an exemplary network.

FIG. 16B is a representation of an exemplary hardware platform for anetwork.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The emergence of network function virtualization (NFV) and softwaredefined networking (SDN) has resulted in networks being realized assoftware defined infrastructures (SDIs). The dynamicity and flexibilityoffered by SDIs introduces new challenges in ensuring that policychanges do not result in unintended consequences. These can range fromthe breakdown of basic network invariants, to degradation of networkperformance. Disclosed herein is the Depo framework (or referred hereinas Depo) that enables automated discovery. The disclosed approach mayuse knowledge modeling or data analysis in a sandbox SDI. Disclosedherein is an example in which the approach is evaluated over a testbedSDI with a 4G LTE/EPC broadband service.

Emerging software defined infrastructures (SDIs), consisting of softwaredefined networking (SDN), network functions virtualization (NFV), cloudcomputing, etc. are being embraced by network service providers andequipment vendors. The inherent flexibility and agility of an SDIenvironment may enable better resource management, virtualized networkfunctions (VNF) allowing rapid service composition, dynamic servicedeployment and evolution, custom data planes, and control planemodifications. SDIs are anticipated to be key enablers for future mobilenetwork architectures and related services being developed for 5G.

An SDI ecosystem may be closed-loop, policy-driven control platforms.The SDI control platforms may include controllers or orchestrators (withan associated policy engine) that utilize network or service objecttemplates to automate the workflows used for managing the physical orvirtual infrastructure that creates the SDI, and for the composition,instantiation, evolution, or lifecycle management of the services thatrun on top of it. Automations may be done through policies deployed viaa policy engine. Policies may be considered rules, conditions,requirements, constraints, attributes, or needs that must be provided,maintained, or enforced. At a lower level, policy may involvemachine-readable rules enabling actions to be taken based on triggers,such as requests. Policies often consider specific conditions or events,such as triggering specific policies when conditions are met orselecting specific outcomes of the evaluated policies appropriate tocurrent conditions. Policies may allow for rapid modification orupdating of behavior without rewriting software code fits well in thecomplex and dynamic SDI environment.

Earlier policy related efforts mostly focused on low-level configurationand networking policies (e.g., BGP or SDN rules). The SDI environmentconfigurations allows writing orchestration and service level policies,in addition to the low-level networking policies and configurationupdates. Since SDI control platforms are being designed to betemplates-based, the domain experts can thus write policies in ahigh-level manner using references to mechanisms specified through SDIobject templates (possibly created by different domain experts orvendors). The SDI may be considered layered (e.g., physicalinfrastructure, virtual infrastructure or VNFs, and the service layers),with complex horizontal and vertical interactions between objects at thevarious layers, controlled by policies written by potentiallyindependent actors. This cross-layer interaction and presence ofmultiple actors coupled with the dynamism due to capabilities fromNFV/SDN (scaling, live migrations, live topological updates or insertionof new functionality) makes it non-trivial and impractical for humans tomanually trace the impact of their policies. Thus, there is a need for atool to be coupled with the SDI such that policies can be automaticallytested for impact before being deployed in production.

The following are disclosed herein, not necessarily in the orderprovided. First, the Depo framework is disclosed, which, given SDIorchestration and service-level policies, may impact such policies onobjects to be determined and quantified in an SDI environment. Second, asystematic approach is provided. The systematic approach to structuringdomain knowledge in a model may enable more informed policy writing andpolicy impact checking. There may be further annotation and verificationof the initial domain knowledge model by incorporating knowledge learntthrough SDI emulations.

Examples are provided throughout with regard to implementation of Depoand its valuation using policies in a testbed SDI environment. Depo maybe able to capture the impact of policies and can reuse and reviselearnt knowledge.

Conventional approaches to enact network change include multiple stagesduring which network changes can be checked and validated beforedeployment, e.g., manual planning, static or online verification andvalidation, simulation, emulations, phased rollout or first fieldapplication (FFA), and canaries. Note simulation should model theinternal state of the system and based on model accuracy the simulationcan be a true representation or not, while emulation may not model theinternal state but tries to copy the original system with limited set ofresources. The focus of the conventional efforts has been on low-levelconfiguration updates related to the network and routing layers or hasenabled limited automation and required the presence of domain expertsfor designing the test environment needed for policy or update checking.With Depo, the virtual layers and service layers may be considered,which are made possible by the SDI and perform knowledge-based modelingto capture cross-layer interactions as well as automate the process ofsuitable test environment generation.

As disclosed, conventional approaches may just include conventionalnetworking and routing policies. However, as disclosed in more detailherein, Depo presents SDI service and orchestration policies and mayprovide a generic testing framework for learning the policies impact inthe SDI ecosystem. Depo may serve as a practical step towards exploringthe challenges and opportunities in this space through prototyping anend-to-end impact discovery or checking system. Note discovery” may bedone before introducing a change and checks are placed once the changeis introduced and there is an attempt to stop the unintended effect ofthe change on system.

Depo Context and Use-Cases are disclosed below. The standard 4G LTE/EPCbroadband may be a use-case service. FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplaryEPC architecture 111 that may include the Radio Access Network (RAN) 112(e.g., eNodeB 113 and more). Base stations (e.g., eNodeB 113) are partof RAN 112 and wirelessly connect to the user equipment (UE) (e.g.,mobile devices). The EPC core generally includes an MME, SGW, and PGW.MME 118 (Mobility Management Entity) is a control plane entity andhandles UE authentication, registration, and mobility. SGW 116 (ServingGateway) is a data path element and forwards user traffic coming fromRAN 112 to PGW 117 (Packet Data Network Gateway) which serves as thegateway to external networks. SGW 116, PGW 117, or eNodeB 113 may alsohandle control plane functions.

FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary EPC variant with selective edge cloudtraffic offloading functionality. The cloud architecture of FIG. 2B maybe called Software-defined network Mobile Offloading aRchitecturE(SMORE) and is a second use-case of SDI service. Here webservers are theexample low-latency apps in the edge cloud.

Terminology associated with this subject matter is disclosed below. Inthe SDI ecosystem, parameterizable templates may serve as thespecification or ‘object type’ for SDI components and services.Instantiating them through an SDI orchestrator may instances or objectsof them to be created in the SDI. This is similar to classes and objects(instances) in an object oriented programming language. Equivalent toclasses in this case will be a type of VNF. Lets say you have a“Firewall” type of VNF. This VNF can have multiple instances. i.e.multiple VMs each representing a “Firewall” instance. Templates can be‘container’-type templates such that they describe a type composed ofone or more other SDI object types. An example template may be a servicetemplate, such as, EPC, or can be composed of component templates, suchas, MME, SGW, PGW, eNodeB. Similarly, a SMORE service template can becomposed of components, such as, the webserver in the edge cloud, a loadbalancer, or cache components, etc. Note that an ‘instance’ may beconsidered an object of a particular type. While “object” is used forany type of “instance”.

Templates may include variables, lifecycle and management mechanisms,and policies. Mechanisms may be related to routing (e.g., push, remove,or update flows), scaling, load balancing, placement, migration,performance tuning, etc. For example, init, start, stop, migrate,scaleUp, update, configureIPv4, are some typical mechanisms available incomponent or service templates in an SDI. Life Cycle and ManagementMechanisms can include, rebooting a VM, creating a new VM, changingconfiguration of a device etc.

Table 1 shows example variables in the templates of various SDI objecttypes we considered. For space reasons, some of the related variablesare shown as grouped together, e.g., Server.ifaceVars andVNF.migrationVars represent variables related to Server interfaceconfiguration (e.g., IPv4Addr, MACAddr) and VNF migrations (e.g.,numMigrationsPast5 Min or numFailedMigrations). Also, variables fromdifferent VNFs (e.g., S/PGW, SMORE_Webserver or SMORE_Cache), andServices (e.g., EPC, SMORE) are shown grouped together under the VNF andService headers.

TABLE 1 Example Variables in SDI Server VM Switch or Link VNF Servicelocation location location location topologyVars status status statusstatus numENB rateStatusChange rateStatusChange ifaceVariables typenumSGW totalMem totalMem rateStatusChange totalMem numPGW allocatedMemnumCPU numFlaps numCPU numMME numCPU version latency versionnumWebserver numAllocatedCPU type totalMem cpuUsage latencycpuOversubscription cpuUsage numCPU memUsage throughput numAllocatedVMmemUsage version throughput Workload numRunningVM migrationVars typelatency numUE version numNeighborVM cpuUsage topologyVars rateOfRequestsmemUsage osImage memUsage migrationVars interarrivalTime cpuUsageifaceVars propagationDelay cacheVars num/rateOfMobility typeconcurrentVNF/Service ifaceVars

For systematic impact analysis, variables may be categorized as providedbelow: (1) configuration/configurable, (2) observed, and (3) workloadvariables. In addition, the domain expert or policy writer may tagcertain configuration and workload variables to be emulation environmentparameters. A domain expert may annotate configuration and workloadvariables.as such in the templates.

Configuration variables may be considered template variables that may bemodified (or configured) directly using template mechanisms, e.g., IPaddress, location (configurable using e.g., VNF migrations), num (i.e.,number) of VMs, cpuOversubscription, num of CPUs, etc. In addition,configurable emulation environment parameters may be considered to bepart of this category. For example, num of CPUs for a server may beconsidered a configurable variable since it may be varied acrossemulation runs by picking server types that have varying number of CPUs.Observed variables or (performance) metrics may be defined as those thatcannot be directly configured using mechanisms or emulation parameterselection, such as cpu usage, average latency seen by subscribers in alocation, percentage of failed UE handoffs, etc. Workload variables mayrepresent features of service workloads, such as num of UEs, requestrates, interarrival time distribution, etc. Values for workloadvariables may be encoded by the domain expert or policy writer runningthe emulations. For example, their values can come from realistictraffic datasets (e.g., scenarios that usually occur in a day-to-daylike scenario), or the policy writer may want to also use values thathave not been seen in realistic datasets. Workload variables may also betagged as emulation environment parameters in which case they are usedto control workload generation during emulation runs for policy impactchecking under various workload conditions. Since workload variables arenot relevant to template instantiation they are typically not capturedas part the of SDI templates. However, we extend the templates to addthem.

Depo may be used to determine the impact of policies, wherein ‘impact’(also referred herein as affect) is described in more detail below.Policies when activated, invoke object mechanisms, which in turn impactconfiguration variables (e.g., modify their values), which in turnimpact the observed variables (or performance metrics), in the presenceof workload variables (e.g., request rates). The trace may be captured,from policy, down to the configuration and observed variables impacted.This is because both configuration and observed variable impacts may bedue to unintended consequences which were not part of the policywriter's intent. A statistically significant change in the value of avariable may be considered as an impact on that variable. Significancelevel is a tunable parameter (e.g., 95% confidence using p-values withalpha set to 0.05). When a policy is tested, the correlated changes atthe given significance level, on object variables in the context of anobject template are output as impact.

Policy examples. Listings 1 to 6 show the pseudocode for examplepolicies used herein, written for the SDI environment with the twoservices introduced earlier: EPC, and a variation of EPC with edge cloudoffloading (referred to as SMORE herein). It is considered if-then stylepolicies that are written in the context of mechanisms and variablesexposed by SDI object templates.

Listing 1: Update server Listing 2: Oversubscribe when: when:Server.updateAvailable == True AND Server.cpuUsage_10minAvg < THRESH1Server.locatedAtEdge == True //THRESH1 = 50% then: then: Server.update() Server.setCPU_Oversub(oversubPerc = THRESH2) //THRESH2 = 50%

Listing 3: Scaling SGW Listing 4: Scaling SMORE when: when:SGW.cpuUsage >= THRESH SMORE_Webserver.cpuUsage_5minAvg //THRESH =70% >= THRESH //THRESH = 70% then: then: EPC.scaleUpSGW( )SMORE.scaleUpWebserver( )

Listing 5: SMORE caching Listing 6: SMORE offload when: when:SMORE.subscriberLatency_5minAvg >= EPC.subscriberLatency_10minAvg >=THRESH THRESH //THRESH = 30ms //THRESH = 30ms then: then:SMORE.setCaching( ) EPC.augmentSMORE(subscriberList)

Discussed below is a summary of the listings, which are exemplarypolicies. Listing 1 shows a Server update policy which applies availableupdates on all servers in the edge cloud location. Listing 2 shows aServer policy that enables CPU oversubscription by some threshold if thecpu usage has been high, e.g., it causes the SDI orchestrator to packmore VMs on the Server instances by oversubscribing the CPU resource.Listing 3 shows an EPC service policy for SGW scale up. Listing 4 showsan SMORE service policy for scale up of its webserver component. Listing5 shows a SMORE policy that enables caching for the webservers if SMOREservice's subscribers are seeing a higher latency. Finally, Listing 6shows a cross-service policy where if some EPC service's subscribers areseeing a higher latency to an Internet webserver, then the SMORE serviceis dynamically enabled for specific subscriber UEs, e.g., selective edgecloud offloading is enabled for this EPC instance for subscribersmentioned in the subscriber list. This would include the SDIorchestrator instantiating SMORE service components (e.g., webserver inthe edge cloud), and configuring networking (e.g., SDN rules) so thatEPC traffic for specific subscribers is diverted to the webserver in theedge cloud.

As observed from the listings, the policy writer is allowed to specifypolicy variables, such as, threshold variables, and the associated rangeof values they can take. For example, for Listing 2, the writer mayspecify the range taken by THRESH2 to be [10, 50, 100] to test only fewoversubscription percentages, or [1 . . . 100] to test percentage valuesranging from 1 to 100. Since the SDI is a very dynamic environment,hardcoding threshold values does not always result in intendedconsequences. Thus, during emulations, Depo iterates on the given policyvariables (through a ‘knob turning’ process described later) and canoutput the learnt impact seen for them.

Large number of knobs. There is typically a large number of testenvironment variables, such as, emulation parameters and workloadvariables that may be varied when testing a policy for impact. Forexample, emulation parameters may be traffic rates, num of UEs, numberof service components, types of hosting hardware (e.g., Server typeswith varying num of CPUs), etc. These variables may be termed knobs.These knobs can also include threshold variables specified in the policyspecifications. A large number of knobs and large number of values foreach knob may result in higher costs for policy testing. In Depo, thelarge number is considered and possible way of dealing with this is byautomating the impact checking process and using a greedy approachcalled knob turning which first varies and explores knobs that result inmore information/knowledge gain (in terms of their impact on observedvariables or performance metrics).

Hardcoded thresholds in policies. Policies often have hardcodedthreshold values. These are based on the past knowledge and assumptions(e.g., from domain experts) and thus may not always be accurate.Conventionally, experts test various thresholds in their policies,observe the behavior of the policy in test setups or in production, andpick a threshold based on those observations. However, in an SDI, thingschange frequently, and hardcoded values may not work. Depo allows thepolicy writer to specify thresholds as policy variables. These variablesmay be considered as emulation environment knobs and a knob turningprocess may be used to test different thresholds to systematically learntheir impact. Using emulations allows both realism and agility intesting.

Non-trivial to quantify variable-level relationships. While domainexperts may know dependency relationships between various object types,however, it is non-trivial to discover and quantify variable-levelknowledge. Conventionally, to get this level of knowledge, differenttest configurations are tried out by domain experts and effect ondependent variables are recorded under those varying conditions. Again,this process is automated using the disclosed emulation framework andsubsequent data analysis that generates ML models that help quantifyvariable-level impacts.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary Depo architecture in the context of aSoftware Defined Infrastructure (SDI). Sandbox SDI 120 may be atemplate-driven environment where Orchestrator 123 receives servicerequests and makes use of templates (e.g., from template database 122)and topology information (e.g., from topology database 121) toinstantiate virtualized service instances on managed infrastructure(e.g., service and managed infrastructure 124). SDI monitoring module125 may monitor the state of the SDI infrastructure and SDI statedatabase 126 may store the monitored information about the existingstate of network that's extracted using SDI monitoring module 125. Thesystem may have varying level of network information, bandwidth,latency, etc.

Depo 130 may interface with SDI sandbox 120 to run emulations andanalyze the impact of policies on the service and managed infrastructure124 it hosts. For purposes of emulation, Depo 130 has access to SDIsandbox 120 instead of interfacing directly with a production SDI. SDIsandbox 120 can be a lab network associated with the production SDI.

Depo 130 may have components that include policy stager 131 thatperforms the process of policy impact learning, and knowledge base 136that records the learnt knowledge. Knowledge Base 136 may includeknowledge graph (KG) 137 or machine learning (ML) models 138. KG 137data structure may be used to encode domain knowledge. ML models 138 maybe created during the impact learning process. Policy stager 131 andKnowledge Base 136 are discussed in more detail below.

KG 137 captures knowledge in the form of facts which may be 3-tuples ofthe form “entity1 relationship entity2” (e.g., server hasVariableserverCpuUsage, or serverCpuUsage affects VNFLatency). KG 137 may bepopulated with both static knowledge and dynamic knowledge. Staticknowledge may be composed of knowledge provided by Domain Experts in theform of knowledge models that capture known relationships betweenentities at multiple layers in the infrastructure, as well as knowledgegleaned from service information or topology information obtained fromtemplate database 122 (e.g., a service template repository) and topologyDB 121 in the SDI.

Dynamic knowledge may include knowledge learnt during the policy impactchecking process performed by policy stager 131. This may involve policystager 131 using the SDI to create emulations, deploying policies, andannotating KG 137 with dynamic knowledge learnt through analyzing theinformation collected during these emulations. This information may comefrom traces of orchestrator 123 actions and templates' mechanismexecutions, and monitoring logs from the infrastructure. To enable this,orchestrator 123 and the templates 122 may be instrumented to logmechanism invocations (traces), and the policies themselves may beinstrumented as well. The interface to the SDI (e.g., production orsandbox) makes these logs available to policy stager 131 for analysis.Policy stager 131 may include environment creator 132, chaos inducer133, traffic generator 134, or impact quantifier 135, which arediscussed in more detail herein.

Environment creator 132 may take policies as input and generate suitableemulation environment configurations and may direct orchestrator 123 toinstantiate them. It also may generate configuration related to trafficworkload variables and interface with traffic generator 134 to controltraffic generation in emulations. This may allow for policy impactchecking in varying workload conditions. Chaos inducer 133 may be usedby policy stager 131 to perform chaos engineering during theseemulations (e.g., killing servers and service component instancesaccording to a given failure distribution or cause performancedegradations to create noise during emulation runs). Chaos inducer 133tries to randomly introduce chaos to check impacts. Impact quantifier135 may analyze the emulation logs and systematically quantify apolicy's impact, and in doing so, the impact of configuration variablesand mechanisms available on object types that are referred to by thesepolicies. The main goal of this learning process is to annotate KG 137with learned knowledge about impact. If a generic relationship isobserved between X and Y such that X is seen to ‘affect’ Y, then wecreate an ‘X affects Y’ relationship in KG 137. Here, X and Y can bemechanisms, variables, policies.

Modeling Knowledge in KG: KG 137 is described in more detail below.Knowledge in KG 137 may be organized to facilitate and enable automatedpolicy impact detection. The unit of data storage and modeling in KG 137may be considered a fact, a 3-tuple of the form (entity 1 relationshipentity2), where each entity is represented by a node in KG 137 and therelationship is shown using an annotated edge connecting the two relatednodes. See FIG. 4 . Multiple relationship edges with varying annotationsmay exist between the nodes which allows different applications inserttheir own semantics over the raw data in KG 137 by adding overlayscreated using different relationship edges. Additionally, the nodes andrelationships can be annotated with properties. For example, timestampsmay be added as properties, since the notion of time may be part of theknowledge modeling. This allows KG 137 to record changing state of SDIsandbox 120 and allow for query primitives to accordingly do time-basedretrievals.

To enable generic inference, the concept of types and instances may beused to create generic models representing an SDI environment. FIG. 4illustrates an exemplary high-level view of a generic model. Anexemplary part of KG 137 models that may be built for a virtualized EPCservice is shown in Listing 7 below.

Listing 7: Knowledge Graph EPC isA Service Service hasComponent NF EPChasComponent NF EPC1 hasType EPC EPC2 hasType EPC VNF isA NF MME isA VNFMME1 hasType MME EPC1 hasComponent MME1 Server isA ComputeNode Serverhosts VNF Server1 isA Server Server2 hosts MME1 MME.usage isAUsageVariable MME1.usage hasValue 90% [timestamp=123]

The timestamp property is only shown on one of the facts for brevity. Asseen from Listing 6, the generic model information from FIG. 4 may beencoded as static knowledge in KG 137 itself which may allow queries tobe generic by only needing to understand the semantics from the model inFIG. 4 and then using that knowledge to query for specificinstantiations of the model. This allows the query primitives built ontop of such a KG to not have any hardcoded domain knowledge aboutspecific services. For further context, using queries a query writer canwrite a query to get information without having knowledge of networktopology. For example, if there are 10 instances of a VNF type “LoadBalancer”. And you want to find what devices are directly/indirectlyconnected to that instance you can write a query. And the system wouldfind the instance and then all the connected components.

The generic knowledge itself can be at two levels, e.g., as seen fromFIG. 4 , Service is a generic object or type. Then, EPC is an instanceof that type and then EPC1 is a specific instance of EPC itself. Thegeneric knowledge model at the first level is considered as staticknowledge inserted by domain experts at system initialization time intoKG 137. Query and inferencing applications built on top of KG 137understand the semantics of the model at this level. For example, queryand inferencing applications know what a ‘hasComponent’ relationshipmeans, and how to use it to query for the components of any object oftype service. The generic knowledge at the second level does not need tobe encoded within the query primitives, but should be inserted into KG137. For example, for an object of type service, such as EPC, this mayinvolve obtaining knowledge about the generic service topology, controland data protocol interactions, state variables, or configurationvariables that exist in service and component templates in an SDIorchestration platform, and inserting them into KG 137 as specificinstances of a generic model. For example, generic EPC relationshipssuch as, EPC hasComponent SGW may be encoded KG 137.

Knowledge about any area (e.g., based on vendors) templates or domainsmay be encoded into KG 137 using the extensible modeling approach shownin FIG. 4 .

After obtaining static knowledge in KG 137, monitoring applications maydynamically insert updates to KG 137 reflecting the current state of SDIsandbox 120 (e.g., service and network object instances like SGW1, orEPC1), the current state of data-driven query primitives, andcorresponding impact detection applications can become possible. Forexample, the orchestration of new service instances like EPC1 or EPC2may be logged by the monitoring module 125 and inserted in KG 137. Thismay cause new facts that represent the service instances to becomeavailable in KG 137. For example, facts about current protocol (e.g.,GPRS tunneling protocol user plane), peering locations (e.g., variousgeographical locations), performance metrics (e.g., bandwidth, latency,or jitter), or configurations (e.g., MME or SGW configuration). VNFmigrations, load balancing, start and stop of components, configurationchanges, and other changes in the state of SDI sandbox 120 may cause KG137 to be updated accordingly.

A conventional query primitive in a KG may be considered a subgraphmatching algorithm which takes as input one or more tuples or a subgraphin which one or more of the edges and nodes may be constant, acting asconstraints, or acting as variables, and the query primitives then findsthe bindings for those variables such that they follow the patterndictated by the constants. For example, Listing 8 shows a KG query,where X_Var and Y_Var are variables while the rest are constants.Running this query against KG 137 represented by Listing 7 may returnthe results [X_Var=EPC1; Y_Var=MME1] since only EPC1 matches thispattern and not EPC2. Finally, delete in KG is a query with theadditional action of deleting the facts that fit the queried pattern.

Listing 8: Query X_Var hasType EPC X_Var hasComponent Y_Var Return X_Var

Given the policy to check for impact, Depo policy stager 131 may learnits impact by emulating it in SDI sandbox 120 and learning from thecollected logs. In summary, the following tasks may be performed: 1)generating emulation environment suitable for testing this policy in thesandbox SDI (e.g., step 141-step 146 of FIG. 5 ); 2) running emulationin SDI sandbox by running traffic through it and collecting logs (e.g.,step 147-step 148 of FIG. 5 ); and 3) learning impact and annotatingdomain knowledge models by analyzing the collected logs (e.g., step149-step 150 of FIG. 5 ). FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary method forimplementing Depo.

At step 141, one or more policies 129 may be obtained by Depo 130. In anexample, a policy can be at the service level or network level. Anetwork infrastructure policy can say that if the last five minutes CPUload of VNF's of type SGW is beyond 80% then create a new instance ofSGW VNF. The policy may be obtained from a remote or local device.Listing 1-Listing 6 show example policies that may be written for an SDIenvironment with services, such as services associated with FIG. 2A(EPC) or FIG. 2B (e.g., SMORE). Depo 130 may be located on a networkdevice, such as software defined network node (e.g., a server) oranother device. At step 142, the one or more polices 129 may be parsedto extract object types. For additional context, in order to runemulations for the policy, Depo 130 should generate an emulationenvironment that includes the objects referenced by one or more polices129 (e.g., an EPC policy may require instantiation of an EPC service inemulation). Parsing allows Depo 130 to extract the object typesreferenced in the one or more policies 129 (also referred to herein aspolicy specification). For example, parsing the policy in Listing 3 mayextract multiple object types, such as SGW or EPC. Below this may bereferred to the SGW scaling policy.

At step 143, a radius query may be performed based on the object typesof step 142. The statically parsed (e.g., extracted) object types fromone or more polices 129 may not include sufficient information togenerate an emulation for a given policy. For example, if EPC objecttype was extracted then each of its components may need to beinstantiated on objects of type ComputeNode (e.g., server or VM). Inthis example, these types were not explicitly specified in the policy.Moreover, if the SGW scaling policy were written in a way such that itonly referenced a ‘component’ type such as SGW (and not EPC), then Depo130 may need to obtain the ‘container’ type for SGW (e.g., the EPCservice type) so that it may instantiate EPC and the components of EPCon objects of type ComputeNode. This is because Depo 130 may notinstantiate a detached component in the emulation, instead instantiationmay happen at the service level. Availability of knowledge based modelshelps Depo 130 automate the process of obtaining the needed additioninformation as follows.

With continued reference to step 143 of FIG. 5 , for each parsed objectfrom step 142, Depo 130 may perform a ‘radius’ query that may beimplemented on KG 137 to find a given object type's ‘neighbors’. Radiusis a conservative query. It considers logical, physical, or protocollevel neighbors. For example, neighbors for the SGW type may include theservice it is a component of (encoded using componentOf relationships),SGW's protocol neighbors (encoded using hasNeighbor relationships), orthe type of objects that can host an SGW (encoded using hostsrelationships). For example, KG 137 may have facts such as, SGW isA VNF,ComputeNode hosts VNF, Server isA ComputeNode, Service hasComponent VNF,EPC isA Service, EPC hasComponent SGW, EPC hasComponent MME, etc. Thisknowledge may be obtained from extraction of knowledge from SDItemplates as explained earlier or from the modeling approach performedby domain experts. The knowledge may have been inserted into KG 137 atbootstrapping time (shown in FIG. 3 using static information or domainexperts labels). Here a part of bootstrapping may include loadinginitial infrastructure and network configuration information. Sincegeneric knowledge related to neighbors (FIG. 4 ) is encoded in radiusquery's implementation, this allows it to be generic and still be ableto retrieve specific relationships about instances. For example, radiusunderstands generic concepts of service, component, and hasComponentrelationships, and so knowledge about specific service or componentinstances such as EPC and its SGW or PGW components may be extracted byradius automatically. Radius query thus may allow Depo 130 to obtain alist of the object types needed for emulation environment creation forthe given policy. For the SGW scaling policy where SGW and EPC objecttypes were statically parsed, FIG. 6 shows an exemplary result of theradius search that extracts their neighbors in various directions. Thisforms the list of object types to be created in emulation. By findingobject types that are related to the policy and thus are under itsimpact radius, this step 143 in may allow reduction in the number ofobject types that need to be created in emulation for the given policy.A goal here is to identify the type of the object and the service inwhich its being used and if there are 10 instances that are being usedwe can create only 1 instance to emulate a particular functionality.

At step 144, based on the objects of step 142 or step 143, determiningknobs exposed by the object. Each object from the list of object typesfound at step 142 may have configurable variables that are tagged (e.g.,previously tagged by a by the domain expert) as emulation environmentparameters in the object's template. For example, emulation environmentparameters may include 1) number of SGWs and the number of its neighborobjects to create, 2) the types of servers for hosting the SGWs andtheir neighbors, or 3) the VM sizes to generate for hosting the SGWs andtheir neighbors. Other parameters may include VM.size, Server.type, orEPC.numSGW, among other things, which may be configurable parameters.Similarly, the workload that may be run on these emulation environmentsmay also have workload variables 128 that can be configured, such asrate of requests or number of clients. The threshold variable THRESH mayalso be taken as an emulation parameter. These emulation parameters maybe termed knobs. Knobs may be turned (also referred to as knob turning),where each configuration of the knob values may cause one or morepolices 129 to have a different impact on SDI sandbox 120.

A new emulation may be used for each knob turn. Alternatively, knobsthat represent workload variables may be knob turned within the sameemulation, e.g., traffic rate can be varied within the same emulation.Knob examples may include configuration variables for object types(e.g., EPC.numSGW, EPC.numPGW, Server.type, or VM.numCPU) or workloadvariables that can be used to control the workload generation process(e.g., EPC.requestRate, EPC.numClients, or Server.otherVMs)Server.otherVMs may be used for creating server load emulating otherservices and their VMs besides, such as the one EPC instance for theprovided policy example herein.

At step 145, providing the determined knobs of step 144 to a knobturning algorithm, as disclosed in more detail herein. At step 146, aknob turning algorithm iterates on the range of values for each knob andoutputs a configuration of knob values. In this way, multiple knobconfigurations are output by the algorithm, where each configuration isthen used by the policy stager 131 to direct the orchestration ofemulation in SDI sandbox 120. At step 147, based on output of step 146,traffic for emulation is generated. Depo 130 configures trafficgenerator 134 with values output by the knob turning of step 146, suchas workload values. Traffic generator 134 may be configured to generatetraffic for various types of services present in the emulation. Theduration for the emulations may be based on different factors. Note thata knob turning algorithm generates different configurations. For an EPCinstance emulation it can mean creating varying number of UEs foremulation, creating specific amount of requests from each UE, accessingvideo, voice, data application from UEs, or the like.

At step 148, logs of the emulation of step 147 may be generated andcollected. Traffic generation causes the emulation to generate logs. Forexample, the logs collected for analysis may include information aboutnetwork object instances and service object instances and the logs fortheir state variables, and object instances' mechanism invocations(traces of policy action invocations). At step 149, analysis of the logsmay occur and at step 150, knowledge models may be annotated based onthe analysis of step 149. An alert message may indicate the componentsthat will be impacted. Step 149 and step 150 disclosed in more detailbelow.

With continued reference to step 149, the analysis of logs of step 148gives the specific object IDs (instances) whose mechanisms were invokedby the policy and the state variable logs of those objects. This list ofobjects IDs may be under the policy's direct impact radius. For eachobject ID in the list, a ‘radius’ query may be done on KG 137 whichtraverses the neighbor relationships each object has with other objects.This query helps obtain a list of additional potentially impactedobjects since they are neighbors to the directly impacted objects foundearlier. These two lists may be combined to create the (potentially)impacted objects list. Thus, this list creation process filters outother object instances in SDI sandbox 120 that are not under thepolicy's impact radius. Note the system may implement more than onequery. “Radius” query is one of them. Idea is that using these queriesand some coding there can be an understanding of the impact of a policyon network objects.

A policy's impact travels from policy action→mechanisms→configurablevariables→observed variables, in the presence of emulation parametersand workload variables. For additional context, there may be a customerwith a home router. A policy to restrict the bandwidth usage for eachuser to 10 Mbps during evening hours would be implemented usingmechanisms that required changing configurable variables (e.g.,bandwidth quota or router table settings, etc.). This may result inbandwidth reduction of the user which may be an “observed variable.”Policy is abstracted from underlying infrastructure. Mechanism isdependent on the underlying controllers and infrastructure. ConfigurableVariables are configurations that are changed. Observed Variables arevalues that are changed after variables are configured.

With that said, Depo 130's impact quantification may find the presenceof this impact and attempt to quantify it by learning from the collectedlogs and creating new models that capture the impact (or updating themif they already exist, with new logs). Multiple policies may use thesame mechanisms and so it may be useful to determine and record therelationship between mechanisms and configurable variables, and betweenconfigurable variables and observed variables.

For a given policy's action, first, impact quantifier 135 may retrievethe during-action-execution, before-action-execution, orafter-action-execution logs. How far into the past to get the logs frommay be controlled by TBefore and how far into the future to get the logsfrom may be controlled by TAfter. Both are tunable parameters and can beset globally or per variable. Impact quantifier 135 may performbefore-during and before-after comparison of variables that exist onobjects in the aforementioned object list. A 2-sampleKolomogorov-Smirnov (KS) test may be used for this comparison. See FrankJ Massey Jr. 1951. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for goodness of fit.Journal of the American statistical Association 46, 253 (1951), 68-78,which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

In an example, given two distributions, KS test returns a differencestatistic D, and a p-value. The ‘alpha’ value for KS test is a tunableparameter. If the output p-value is less than or equal to the alphavalue then the two distributions are considered significantly different.The tunable parameter can change based on the service or infrastructurethat is being checked for impact. It can depend on underlyingdistribution. Herein 0.05 is used, but it can be changed by user

Thus, the output of the KS tests may give a table of mappings,{variable: CHANGE}, for all variables on the objects in our list, whereCHANGE is a boolean variable with ‘yes’ if the KS test found that it wasimpacted by the policy, and ‘no’ otherwise. Note that the results may becombined for similar objects (e.g., the object instances of typeserver), thus larger number of instances depicting a large-scale networkin the emulation increases accuracy of the KS test since more datasamples are generated. The KS test may reduce the number of variablesunder consideration. Next, the quantifier may create a list with allvariables that have CHANGE=yes in the table. The list may be furtherdivided into multiple lists, such as a configurable variables list orobserved variables list.

Supervised regression or classification machine learning models may becreated where the configurable variables are taken as features, andtheir specific effect is observed on the observed variables of interest(e.g., latency, usage). During the search, the dataset is divided intotraining and test sets with specific percentages (e.g., 20% as testdata, 80% as training). K-fold cross validation may be used to furthertest for bias and produce model accuracy values, the model with thehighest accuracy value may be chosen. In k-fold cross-validation, theoriginal sample may be randomly partitioned into k equal sizedsubsamples. Of the k subsamples, a single subsample may be retained asthe validation data for testing the model, and the remaining k−1subsamples may be used as training data. The cross-validation processmay then be repeated k times, with each of the k subsamples used once asthe validation data. The k results may then be averaged to produce asingle estimation. Using this method over repeated random sub-samplingmay allow for all observations to be used for both training andvalidation, and each observation may be used for validation once.

While the earlier KS tests may indicate that there is ‘an impact’ or ‘aneffect’ between the configurable and observed variables (a Yes/Noanswer), the machine learning models enable more fine-grained impactfinding and capture knowledge about the type of relationships (e.g.,linear, non-linear, exponential, etc.), and the environment in whichthese relationships apply (e.g., other environment variables captured asfeatures in the models). Note that a model may be created for eachobserved variable under consideration (where CHANGE=yes was observed),where the configurable variables serve as features (e.g., machinelearning model features for the training of ML model), and the observedvariable as the dependent variable.

With continued reference to step 150, domain knowledge models may beannotated.

The variables that were tagged as having CHANGE=yes may be recordedwithin KG 137 as ‘affects’ relationships among variables, mechanisms,and policies. These ‘affects’ relationship edges may be annotated withthe p-values (or the like) obtained using KS tests. Fisher's method ofcombining p-values may be used when existing facts are updated with newresults. See Ronald A Fisher. 1925. Statistical methods for researchworkers Oliver and Boyd. Edinburgh, Scotland 6 (1925) and JessicaGurevitch, Julia Koricheva, Shinichi Nakagawa, and Gavin Stewart. 2018.Meta-analysis and the science of research synthesis. Nature 555, 7695(2018), 175, which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Thiscombining process depicts increase or decrease in the strength of theaffects relationships. That is, due to these updates, if the p-value onan affects relationship becomes less than or equal to a given alphavalue (e.g., common alpha is 0.05 for getting 95% confidence) then itdepicts KG 137 nodes connected by the affects relationship have astatistically significant affect on each other (e.g., with 95%confidence if alpha is set to 0.05).

Disclosed below are more details with regard to knob turning (e.g., step144-Step 146). Knobs help in the exploration of various configurationsof objects in emulations in order to test the impact of policies onobserved variables (e.g., latency, throughput). Since there may be nodomain knowledge about what effect the various values of theconfigurable variables may have on the observed variables, a process ofcoordinate descent may be used, where a coordinate is a configurablevariable, and pick N number of uniformly distributed values for thisvariable. The uniform distribution may allow for an entire range of thevariable to be approximately covered, particularly in view of no priorknowledge. Note that coordinate descent is an optimization algorithmthat successively minimizes along coordinate directions to find theminimum of a function.

These N values may become the starter set to begin creating theemulations and trying out the policy within them. As described later,the results of emulation runs may be collected in order to generate adataset that may be used for creating machine learning models whichdepict the effect of the starter set on the observed variables. Thedataset collected may be divided, in which part of it is used to trainthe models and the other part is used as ground truth to test theaccuracy of the models. If the accuracy is lower than a threshold forthe starter set, more values may be generated through knob turning andthe collection of more data through emulations.

For configuration variables whose range is numeric or ranked in whichthe range of values have some pattern (e.g., EPC. numSGW is a numericvariable, while Server.type can be a ranked variable with the rankingdone in terms of numCPUs on each machine type.

The starter set values for a given variable may divide the variable'srange into multiple intervals. For example, if the range of a numericvariable is 1 to 100, and the starter set contains 10, 43, 79, then 3intervals are created. Set a minimum interval size after whichexploration through emulations should stop. For each interval, if theinterval size is above the minimum size threshold, then take the datasetcollected so far through emulations, and pick M samples from the datasetsuch that they all belong to the given interval. Use the model createdfrom the dataset so far and input the M samples as feature values andpredict the observed variable, e.g., the dependent variable in themodel. Similarly, calculate the prediction accuracies for the otherintervals. Ignore the intervals that have acceptable accuracy. From theintervals with accuracy lower than threshold, pick the widest intervalwith the highest inaccuracy value and perform the recursive process ofpicking starter values from this interval and performing emulations toget more data for them, then rechecking the accuracies for all past andnewly generated intervals, and exploring the widest interval with thehighest accuracy. This procedure allows us to find wide intervals thatmay be the most inaccurate according to the calculated machine learningmodels, thus greedy exploration (greedy algorithm used) in thoseintervals that will give us the most gain in terms of reducinguncertainty in the model. A stopping condition may be set usingparameters for the smallest interval size threshold after whichexploration should stop or an accuracy threshold after which theexploration should stop, or max number of emulations to run thresholdwhich can be useful since a low accuracy score for the models may notalways mean more emulations will help since it might be an issue relatedto missing variables, or incorrect variable creation by the domainexperts, such issues cannot be automatically found since Depo 130 cannotlearn about variables that are non-existent for it. Note that when theknob turning process generates a configuration of various knob values,and Depo 130 attempts to generate an emulation environment using thoseknob settings using orchestrator 123, orchestrator 123 checks thevalidity of the configuration to see if it can be instantiated. DomainExpert is the person or device that has knowledge about the networkdomain being emulated.

Disclosed below are implementation and evaluation examples for Depoarchitecture. Disclosed herein is an example in which the approach isevaluated over a testbed SDI with a 4G LTE/EPC broadband service.

Environment setup and workload. The SDI orchestrator 123 and commonservice and object templates 122 may be extended. The templates may bemodified with additional mechanisms and variables to allow creation ofricher policies. In an example implementation, Drools may be used forpolicy specification. SDI may include UE traffic generation based onconfigurable parameters where the parameters are configured and variedas part of Depo's knob turning.

Policy impact Listing 1 to Listing 6 show use case policies. Depo 130may output and learn the trace of each policy as it invokes mechanismson SDI objects, affecting their configuration variables, which in termimpact the observed variables. For example, Listing 11 shows theSDI-level edge-server update policy's invoked mechanisms. The policyaction may take the following strategy: Divide the servers to be updatedin two batches, update one batch at a time by migrating VMs to availableservers and stopping the remaining VMs, install updates then restart VMand VNF. Table 2 shows Depo learns the find-grained impact from thevarious mechanisms invoked by the policy, on objects and theirvariables.

TABLE 2 Affected variables learned for update policy MechanismsVariables PolicyAction:update Server.[status, version, numVM, memUsage,cpuUsage, percentFailedMigrations], VM.[status, memUsage, cpuUsage],VNF.[status, memUsage, cpuUsage], Service.[smoreLatency]Server.migrateVM Server.[numVM, memUsage cpuUsage,percentFailedMigrations], VM.[status, memUsage, cpuUsage], VNF.[status,memUsage, cpuUsage], Service.[smoreLatency] Server.sendVM Server.[numVM,memUsage cpuUsage], VM.[status, memUsage, cpuUsage], VNF.[status,memUsage, cpuUsage], Service.[smoreLatency] Server.receiveVMServer.[numVM, memUsage, cpuUsage, percentFailedMigrations], VM.[status,memUsage, cpuUsage], VNF.[status, memUsage, cpuUsage],Service.[smoreLatency] VM.stop Server.[memUsage, cpuUsage], VM.[status,memUsage, cpuUsage], VNF.[status, memUsage, cpuUsage],Service.[smoreLatency] Server.installUpdate Server.[status, version,memUsage, cpuUsage] Server.reboot Server.[status, memUsage, cpuUsage]VM.start Server.[memUsage, cpuUsage], VM.[status, memUsage, cpuUsage]VNF.start Server.[memUsage, cpuUsage], VM.[memUsage, cpuUsage],VNF.[status, memUsage, cpuUsage], Service.[smoreLatency]

The table captures only those object variables that the policy impactedin a statistically significant way, as seen from calculating p-valuesand setting their alpha to 0.05. Recording this in KG 137 allows Depo130 to know which mechanisms have impact on which variables, which helpsDepo 130 in the emulation environment generation phase by reducing thepolicy's potentially impacted neighbors, meaning that knob turning maybe done on less object variables in newer iterations of emulations. Thisis also may be useful for the policy writer since it traces their policyacross various SDI objects. For example, for the SGW scaling policy,Listing 12 is output. Listing 9 and Listing 10 show additional outputexamples (for SMORE edge cloud offloading related policy for turning oncaching, and enabling edge cloud offloading functionality dynamically onEPC).

Listing 9: Affected variables for various object types in SMORE cachingpolicy use-case. PolicyAction:setCaching SMORE: smore_cachingStatussmore_latency SMORE_Loadbalancer: smore_loadbalancer_cachingStatussmore_loadbalancer_availableCacheSize smore_loadbalancer_usedCacheSizesmore_loadbalancer_resourceFrequencyOfAccess SMORE_Webserver:smore_webserver_status smore_webserver_networkConfigsmore_webserver_loadbalancerConnectionStatus smore_webserver_cpuUsagesmore_webserver_memUsage smore_webserver_resourceFrequencyOfAccess

Listing 10: Affected variables for various object types in EPCoffloading to SMORE policy. PolicyAction:augmentSMORE Server:server_numVM server_cpuUsage server_memUsage server_allocated_memserver_num_allocated_cpu VM: vm_status vm_networkConfig vm_cpuUsagevm_memUsage SMORE: smore_latency SMORE_Loadbalancer:smore_loadbalancer_webserverNumConnectionssmore_loadbalancer_webserverPercentOfConnectionsWorkingsmore_loadbalancer_resourceFrequencyOfAccess SMORE_Switch:smore_switch_status smore_switch_routeConfig SMORE_Webserver:smore_webserver_status smore_webserver_networkConfigsmore_webserver_loadbalancerConnectionStatus smore_webserver_cpuUsagesmore_webserver_memUsage smore_webserver_resourceFrequencyOfAccess

Listing 11: Invoked mechanisms hierarchy for Server up- date policyPolicyAction:update Server.migrateVM Server.sendVM Server.receiveVMVM.stop Server.installUpdate Server.reboot VM.start VNF.start

Listing 12: Affected variables for scaleUpSGW policyPolicyAction:scaleUpSGW Server: server_numVM server_cpuUsageserver_memUsage server_allocated_mem server_num_allocated_cpu VM:vm_status vm_networkConfig vm_cpuUsage vm_memUsage EPC: epc_numSGWepc_latency SGW: sgw_status sgw_networkConfig sgw_mmeNumConnectionssgw_mmePercentOfConnectionsWorking sgw_cpuUsage sgw_memUsage MME:mme_numSGW mme_sgwNumConnections mme_sgwPercentOfConnectionsWorking

Variable reduction and cause of impact. Knowledge-based model learntfrom emulations in Depo allows operators to find ‘what’ was the cause ofimpact on observed variables of interest. For example, our Server CPUoversubscription policy invokes mechanisms on different SDI objectinstances, and causes their configuration variables to change, whichultimately results in impact on observed variables, e.g., SMORE responsetime.

We use our generated ML models to quantify the impact that each of theinvoked mechanisms has on various configuration variable, which in turnaffect observed variables. For example, Table 3 shows relative impactcaused on SMORE response time by the various configuration variablesmodified by the policy, the various emulation environment parameters(such as num of neighboring VMs), and the workload variables (e.g.,SMORE request rate). Thus, in figuring out the policy impact on a givenobserved variable, Depo considerably reduced the potentially impactedobject types and variables down from the ones shown in Table 1. Thestatistical significance testing (with significance alpha value set to0.05 or 5%) is embedded in Depo process and helps ensure correctness(confidence that the object is getting impacted).

Performance results. Here, we present performance results for each stageof the Depo process to show the scalability of our approach and use ofKG 137 data structure.

In this example, Depo's policy parsing time is impacted by the policysize, which is dependent on the number of object types and actionsinside the policy specification. FIG. 10 shows this effect for policyspecifications in Drools language. The parsing time stays below 5 s forup to a 1000 object types and actions. Since the number of objects andactions in our example policies were relatively small, we showscalability by generating policies using arbitrary object types andactions and running the parser on them.

FIG. 11 shows the time for emulation parameter generation using our knobturning approach. As described in the Depo process earlier, this stagemay be dominated by time spent on queries into KG 137 for searchingneighbor object types that are potentially under impact radius of theobject types parsed from the policy. The time is thus affected by thenumber of neighboring objects N, that exist in KG 137 for a given objecttype parsed from the policy. So, in order to show scalability for thisphase, we add increasing number of semantically correct but arbitraryrelationships among KG nodes in a controlled fashion. FIG. 11 shows thetime for parameter generation stage for different values of N. Sincemultiple object types can be parsed from a given policy, parametergeneration stage will have to perform KG queries for extractingneighbors of each of the parsed object types. Thus, the same figure herealso shows effect of such concurrent queries on KG 137. Our correctnesschecking assertions showed that the queries are able to retrieve allobjects types that had been created as neighbors in KG 137.

FIG. 8 shows the emulation environment generation time, which is the SDIorchestration time for the various object types that need to beinstantiated for a given emulation. The figure shows time stays below 40s for up to 125 SDI object instance creations, where instances are forvarious types of object templates available to us and are instantiatedand configured in parallel where possible (e.g., a host VM has to beinstantiated before the VNF it will host). FIG. 12 shows the dataanalysis stage average time for our policies, which is dominated by theconcurrent KS tests and ML model generations. The figure shows the timestays low as number of logs used for the analysis increases byincreasing duration and number of emulations. The number of logs dependson the number of object variables related to the policy and the loggingfrequency. We set this frequency for observed variables (e.g., latency)to be is in the SDI monitoring module, and the configuration variablechanges that happen through software were logged whenever the softwareupdated them.

Time for final stage of Depo process is dominated by annotating KG 137based on the knowledge learnt in data analysis. FIG. 9 shows factinsertions (shown as equivalent to existing fact updates), the timestays below 3 s for up to 1000 concurrent insertions.

Note the following with regard to statically parsed (e.g., extracted) asdisclosed herein. Static information is something that can be extractedfrom the system based on its topology information. Based on its serviceinformation. For example, we can extract that a particular VNF will beconnected to which particular VNF from a service template. For this wedon't need to instantiate VMs we can extract them statically.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of network device 300 that may be connectedto or comprise a component of FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 3 , among othersherein. Network device 300 may comprise hardware or a combination ofhardware and software. The functionality to facilitatetelecommunications via a telecommunications network may reside in one orcombination of network devices 300. Network device 300 depicted in FIG.14 may represent or perform functionality of an appropriate networkdevice 300, or combination of network devices 300, such as, for example,a component or various components of a cellular broadcast systemwireless network, a processor, a server, a gateway, a node, a mobileswitching center (MSC), a short message service center (SMSC), anautomatic location function server (ALFS), a gateway mobile locationcenter (GMLC), a radio access network (RAN), a serving mobile locationcenter (SMLC), or the like, or any appropriate combination thereof. Itis emphasized that the block diagram depicted in FIG. 14 is exemplaryand not intended to imply a limitation to a specific implementation orconfiguration. Thus, network device 300 may be implemented in a singledevice or multiple devices (e.g., single server or multiple servers,single gateway or multiple gateways, single controller or multiplecontrollers). Multiple network entities may be distributed or centrallylocated. Multiple network entities may communicate wirelessly, via hardwire, or any appropriate combination thereof.

Network device 300 may comprise a processor 302 and a memory 304 coupledto processor 302. Memory 304 may contain executable instructions that,when executed by processor 302, cause processor 302 to effectuateoperations associated with mapping wireless signal strength. As evidentfrom the description herein, network device 300 is not to be construedas software per se.

In addition to processor 302 and memory 304, network device 300 mayinclude an input/output system 306. Processor 302, memory 304, andinput/output system 306 may be coupled together (coupling not shown inFIG. 14 ) to allow communications between them. Each portion of networkdevice 300 may comprise circuitry for performing functions associatedwith each respective portion. Thus, each portion may comprise hardware,or a combination of hardware and software. Accordingly, each portion ofnetwork device 300 is not to be construed as software per se.Input/output system 306 may be capable of receiving or providinginformation from or to a communications device or other network entitiesconfigured for telecommunications. For example input/output system 306may include a wireless communications (e.g., 3G/4G/GPS) card.Input/output system 306 may be capable of receiving or sending videoinformation, audio information, control information, image information,data, or any combination thereof. Input/output system 306 may be capableof transferring information with network device 300. In variousconfigurations, input/output system 306 may receive or provideinformation via any appropriate means, such as, for example, opticalmeans (e.g., infrared), electromagnetic means (e.g., RF, Wi-Fi,Bluetooth®, ZigBee®), acoustic means (e.g., speaker, microphone,ultrasonic receiver, ultrasonic transmitter), or a combination thereof.In an example configuration, input/output system 306 may comprise aWi-Fi finder, a two-way GPS chipset or equivalent, or the like, or acombination thereof.

Input/output system 306 of network device 300 also may contain acommunication connection 308 that allows network device 300 tocommunicate with other devices, network entities, or the like.Communication connection 308 may comprise communication media.Communication media typically embody computer-readable instructions,data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated datasignal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includesany information delivery media. By way of example, and not limitation,communication media may include wired media such as a wired network ordirect-wired connection, or wireless media such as acoustic, RF,infrared, or other wireless media. The term computer-readable media asused herein includes both storage media and communication media.Input/output system 306 also may include an input device 310 such askeyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, or touch input device.Input/output system 306 may also include an output device 312, such as adisplay, speakers, or a printer.

Processor 302 may be capable of performing functions associated withtelecommunications, such as functions for processing broadcast messages,as described herein. For example, processor 302 may be capable of, inconjunction with any other portion of network device 300, determining atype of broadcast message and acting according to the broadcast messagetype or content, as described herein.

Memory 304 of network device 300 may comprise a storage medium having aconcrete, tangible, physical structure. As is known, a signal does nothave a concrete, tangible, physical structure. Memory 304, as well asany computer-readable storage medium described herein, is not to beconstrued as a signal. Memory 304, as well as any computer-readablestorage medium described herein, is not to be construed as a transientsignal. Memory 304, as well as any computer-readable storage mediumdescribed herein, is not to be construed as a propagating signal. Memory304, as well as any computer-readable storage medium described herein,is to be construed as an article of manufacture.

Memory 304 may store any information utilized in conjunction withtelecommunications. Depending upon the exact configuration or type ofprocessor, memory 304 may include a volatile storage 314 (such as sometypes of RAM), a nonvolatile storage 316 (such as ROM, flash memory), ora combination thereof. Memory 304 may include additional storage (e.g.,a removable storage 318 or a non-removable storage 320) including, forexample, tape, flash memory, smart cards, CD-ROM, DVD, or other opticalstorage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage orother magnetic storage devices, USB-compatible memory, or any othermedium that can be used to store information and that can be accessed bynetwork device 300. Memory 304 may comprise executable instructionsthat, when executed by processor 302, cause processor 302 to effectuateoperations to map signal strengths in an area of interest.

FIG. 15 depicts an exemplary diagrammatic representation of a machine inthe form of a computer system 500 within which a set of instructions,when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of themethods described above. One or more instances of the machine canoperate, for example, as processor 302, eNB 113, PGW 117, SGW 116, MME118, and other devices of FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, or FIG. 3 . In someembodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., using a network 502) toother machines. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate inthe capacity of a server or a client user machine in a server-clientuser network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (ordistributed) network environment.

The machine may comprise a server computer, a client user computer, apersonal computer (PC), a tablet, a smart phone, a laptop computer, adesktop computer, a control system, a network router, switch or bridge,or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential orotherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. It will beunderstood that a communication device of the subject disclosureincludes broadly any electronic device that provides voice, video ordata communication. Further, while a single machine is illustrated, theterm “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machinesthat individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) ofinstructions to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein.

Computer system 500 may include a processor (or controller) 504 (e.g., acentral processing unit (CPU)), a graphics processing unit (GPU, orboth), a main memory 506 and a static memory 508, which communicate witheach other via a bus 510. The computer system 500 may further include adisplay unit 512 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a flat panel, ora solid state display). Computer system 500 may include an input device514 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 516 (e.g., a mouse), adisk drive unit 518, a signal generation device 520 (e.g., a speaker orremote control) and a network interface device 522. In distributedenvironments, the embodiments described in the subject disclosure can beadapted to utilize multiple display units 512 controlled by two or morecomputer systems 500. In this configuration, presentations described bythe subject disclosure may in part be shown in a first of display units512, while the remaining portion is presented in a second of displayunits 512.

The disk drive unit 518 may include a tangible computer-readable storagemedium 524 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g.,software 526) embodying any one or more of the methods or functionsdescribed herein, including those methods illustrated above.Instructions 526 may also reside, completely or at least partially,within main memory 506, static memory 508, or within processor 504during execution thereof by the computer system 500. Main memory 506 andprocessor 504 also may constitute tangible computer-readable storagemedia.

FIG. 16A is a representation of an exemplary network 600. Network 600(e.g., physical network 111) may comprise an SDN—that is, network 600may include one or more virtualized functions implemented on generalpurpose hardware, such as in lieu of having dedicated hardware for everynetwork function. That is, general purpose hardware of network 600 maybe configured to run virtual network elements to support communicationservices, such as mobility services, including consumer services andenterprise services. These services may be provided or measured insessions.

A virtual network functions (VNFs) 602 may be able to support a limitednumber of sessions. Each VNF 602 may have a VNF type that indicates itsfunctionality or role. For example, FIG. 16A illustrates a gateway VNF602 a and a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) VNF 602 b.Additionally or alternatively, VNFs 602 may include other types of VNFs.Each VNF 602 may use one or more virtual machines (VMs) 604 to operate.Each VM 604 may have a VM type that indicates its functionality or role.For example, FIG. 16A illustrates a management control module (MCM) VM604 a, an advanced services module (ASM) VM 604 b, and a DEP VM 604 c.Additionally or alternatively, VMs 604 may include other types of VMs.Each VM 604 may consume various network resources from a hardwareplatform 606, such as a resource 608, a virtual central processing unit(vCPU) 608 a, memory 608 b, or a network interface card (NIC) 608 c.Additionally or alternatively, hardware platform 606 may include othertypes of resources 608.

While FIG. 16A illustrates resources 608 as collectively contained inhardware platform 606, the configuration of hardware platform 606 mayisolate, for example, certain memory 608 c from other memory 608 c. FIG.16B provides an exemplary implementation of hardware platform 606.

Hardware platform 606 may comprise one or more chasses 610. Chassis 610may refer to the physical housing or platform for multiple servers orother network equipment. In an aspect, chassis 610 may also refer to theunderlying network equipment. Chassis 610 may include one or moreservers 612. Server 612 may comprise general purpose computer hardwareor a computer. In an aspect, chassis 610 may comprise a metal rack, andservers 612 of chassis 610 may comprise blade servers that arephysically mounted in or on chassis 610.

Each server 612 may include one or more network resources 608, asillustrated. Servers 612 may be communicatively coupled together (notshown) in any combination or arrangement. For example, all servers 612within a given chassis 610 may be communicatively coupled. As anotherexample, servers 612 in different chasses 610 may be communicativelycoupled. Additionally or alternatively, chasses 610 may becommunicatively coupled together (not shown) in any combination orarrangement.

The characteristics of each chassis 610 and each server 612 may differ.For example, FIG. 16B illustrates that the number of servers 612 withintwo chasses 610 may vary. Additionally or alternatively, the type ornumber of resources 610 within each server 612 may vary. In an aspect,chassis 610 may be used to group servers 612 with the same resourcecharacteristics. In another aspect, servers 612 within the same chassis610 may have different resource characteristics.

Given hardware platform 606, the number of sessions that may beinstantiated may vary depending upon how efficiently resources 608 areassigned to different VMs 604. For example, assignment of VMs 604 toparticular resources 608 may be constrained by one or more rules. Forexample, a first rule may require that resources 608 assigned to aparticular VM 604 be on the same server 612 or set of servers 612. Forexample, if VM 604 uses eight vCPUs 608 a, 1 GB of memory 608 b, and 2NICs 608 c, the rules may require that all of these resources 608 besourced from the same server 612. Additionally or alternatively, VM 604may require splitting resources 608 among multiple servers 612, but suchsplitting may need to conform with certain restrictions. For example,resources 608 for VM 604 may be able to be split between two servers612. Default rules may apply. For example, a default rule may requirethat all resources 608 for a given VM 604 must come from the same server612.

An affinity rule may restrict assignment of resources 608 for aparticular VM 604 (or a particular type of VM 604). For example, anaffinity rule may require that certain VMs 604 be instantiated on (thatis, consume resources from) the same server 612 or chassis 610. Forexample, if VNF 602 uses six MCM VMs 604 a, an affinity rule may dictatethat those six MCM VMs 604 a be instantiated on the same server 612 (orchassis 610). As another example, if VNF 602 uses MCM VMs 604 a, ASM VMs604 b, and a third type of VMs 604, an affinity rule may dictate that atleast the MCM VMs 604 a and the ASM VMs 604 b be instantiated on thesame server 612 (or chassis 610). Affinity rules may restrict assignmentof resources 608 based on the identity or type of resource 608, VNF 602,VM 604, chassis 610, server 612, or any combination thereof.

An anti-affinity rule may restrict assignment of resources 608 for aparticular VM 604 (or a particular type of VM 604). In contrast to anaffinity rule—which may require that certain VMs 604 be instantiated onthe same server 612 or chassis 610—an anti-affinity rule requires thatcertain VMs 604 be instantiated on different servers 612 (or differentchasses 610). For example, an anti-affinity rule may require that MCM VM604 a be instantiated on a particular server 612 that does not containany ASM VMs 604 b. As another example, an anti-affinity rule may requirethat MCM VMs 604 a for a first VNF 602 be instantiated on a differentserver 612 (or chassis 610) than MCM VMs 604 a for a second VNF 602.Anti-affinity rules may restrict assignment of resources 608 based onthe identity or type of resource 608, VNF 602, VM 604, chassis 610,server 612, or any combination thereof.

Within these constraints, resources 608 of hardware platform 606 may beassigned to be used to instantiate VMs 604, which in turn may be used toinstantiate VNFs 602, which in turn may be used to establish sessions.The different combinations for how such resources 608 may be assignedmay vary in complexity and efficiency. For example, differentassignments may have different limits of the number of sessions that canbe established given a particular hardware platform 606.

For example, consider a session that may require gateway VNF 602 a andPCRF VNF 602 b. Gateway VNF 602 a may require five VMs 604 instantiatedon the same server 612, and PCRF VNF 602 b may require two VMs 604instantiated on the same server 612. (Assume, for this example, that noaffinity or anti-affinity rules restrict whether VMs 604 for PCRF VNF602 b may or must be instantiated on the same or different server 612than VMs 604 for gateway VNF 602 a.) In this example, each of twoservers 612 may have sufficient resources 608 to support 10 VMs 604. Toimplement sessions using these two servers 612, first server 612 may beinstantiated with 10 VMs 604 to support two instantiations of gatewayVNF 602 a, and second server 612 may be instantiated with 9 VMs: fiveVMs 604 to support one instantiation of gateway VNF 602 a and four VMs604 to support two instantiations of PCRF VNF 602 b. This may leave theremaining resources 608 that could have supported the tenth VM 604 onsecond server 612 unused (and unusable for an instantiation of either agateway VNF 602 a or a PCRF VNF 602 b). Alternatively, first server 612may be instantiated with 10 VMs 604 for two instantiations of gatewayVNF 602 a and second server 612 may be instantiated with 10 VMs 604 forfive instantiations of PCRF VNF 602 b, using all available resources 608to maximize the number of VMs 604 instantiated.

Consider, further, how many sessions each gateway VNF 602 a and eachPCRF VNF 602 b may support. This may factor into which assignment ofresources 608 is more efficient. For example, consider if each gatewayVNF 602 a supports two million sessions, and if each PCRF VNF 602 bsupports three million sessions. For the first configuration—three totalgateway VNFs 602 a (which satisfy the gateway requirement for sixmillion sessions) and two total PCRF VNFs 602 b (which satisfy the PCRFrequirement for six million sessions)—would support a total of sixmillion sessions. For the second configuration—two total gateway VNFs602 a (which satisfy the gateway requirement for four million sessions)and five total PCRF VNFs 602 b (which satisfy the PCRF requirement for15 million sessions)—would support a total of four million sessions.Thus, while the first configuration may seem less efficient looking onlyat the number of available resources 608 used (as resources 608 for thetenth possible VM 604 are unused), the second configuration is actuallymore efficient from the perspective of being the configuration that cansupport more the greater number of sessions.

To solve the problem of determining a capacity (or, number of sessions)that can be supported by a given hardware platform 605, a givenrequirement for VNFs 602 to support a session, a capacity for the numberof sessions each VNF 602 (e.g., of a certain type) can support, a givenrequirement for VMs 604 for each VNF 602 (e.g., of a certain type), agive requirement for resources 608 to support each VM 604 (e.g., of acertain type), rules dictating the assignment of resources 608 to one ormore VMs 604 (e.g., affinity and anti-affinity rules), the chasses 610and servers 612 of hardware platform 606, and the individual resources608 of each chassis 610 or server 612 (e.g., of a certain type), aninteger programming problem may be formulated.

As described herein, a telecommunications system wherein management andcontrol utilizing a software designed network (SDN) and a simple IP arebased, at least in part, on user equipment, may provide a wirelessmanagement and control framework that enables common wireless managementand control, such as mobility management, radio resource management,QoS, load balancing, etc., across many wireless technologies, e.g. LTE,Wi-Fi, and future 5G access technologies; decoupling the mobilitycontrol from data planes to let them evolve and scale independently;reducing network state maintained in the network based on user equipmenttypes to reduce network cost and allow massive scale; shortening cycletime and improving network upgradability; flexibility in creatingend-to-end services based on types of user equipment and applications,thus improve customer experience; or improving user equipment powerefficiency and battery life—especially for simple M2M devices—throughenhanced wireless management.

While examples of a telecommunications system in which Depo architecturemessages can be processed and managed have been described in connectionwith various computing devices/processors, the underlying concepts maybe applied to any computing device, processor, or system capable offacilitating a telecommunications system. The various techniquesdescribed herein may be implemented in connection with hardware orsoftware or, where appropriate, with a combination of both. Thus, themethods and devices may take the form of program code (i.e.,instructions) embodied in concrete, tangible, storage media having aconcrete, tangible, physical structure. Examples of tangible storagemedia include floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, DVDs, hard drives, or any othertangible machine-readable storage medium (computer-readable storagemedium). Thus, a computer-readable storage medium is not a signal. Acomputer-readable storage medium is not a transient signal. Further, acomputer-readable storage medium is not a propagating signal. Acomputer-readable storage medium as described herein is an article ofmanufacture. When the program code is loaded into and executed by amachine, such as a computer, the machine becomes an device fortelecommunications. In the case of program code execution onprogrammable computers, the computing device will generally include aprocessor, a storage medium readable by the processor (includingvolatile or nonvolatile memory or storage elements), at least one inputdevice, and at least one output device. The program(s) can beimplemented in assembly or machine language, if desired. The languagecan be a compiled or interpreted language, and may be combined withhardware implementations.

The methods and devices associated with a telecommunications system asdescribed herein also may be practiced via communications embodied inthe form of program code that is transmitted over some transmissionmedium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics,or via any other form of transmission, wherein, when the program code isreceived and loaded into and executed by a machine, such as an EPROM, agate array, a programmable logic device (PLD), a client computer, or thelike, the machine becomes an device for implementing telecommunicationsas described herein. When implemented on a general-purpose processor,the program code combines with the processor to provide a unique devicethat operates to invoke the functionality of a telecommunicationssystem.

While a telecommunications system has been described in connection withthe various examples of the various figures, it is to be understood thatother similar implementations may be used or modifications and additionsmay be made to the described examples of a telecommunications systemwithout deviating therefrom. For example, one skilled in the art willrecognize that a telecommunications system as described in the instantapplication may apply to any environment, whether wired or wireless, andmay be applied to any number of such devices connected via acommunications network and interacting across the network. Therefore, atelecommunications system as described herein should not be limited toany single example, but rather should be construed in breadth and scopein accordance with the appended claims.

In describing preferred methods, systems, or apparatuses of the subjectmatter of the present disclosure—Depo architecture—as illustrated in theFigures, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. Theclaimed subject matter, however, is not intended to be limited to thespecific terminology so selected, and it is to be understood that eachspecific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in asimilar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. In addition, the use ofthe word “or” is generally used inclusively unless otherwise providedherein.

This written description uses examples to enable any person skilled inthe art to practice the claimed subject matter, including making andusing any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods.The patentable scope is defined by the claims, and may include otherexamples that occur to those skilled in the art (e.g., skipping steps,combining steps, or adding steps between exemplary methods disclosedherein). Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of theclaims if they have structural elements that do not differ from theliteral language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structuralelements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages ofthe claims.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses, among other things, as describedherein may provide for emulation of services and detecting impact ofplanned network maintenance. A method, system, computer readable storagemedium, or apparatus may provide for obtaining a policy for maintaininga service; parsing the policy to extract a first object; querying for asecond object based on the first object; based on the first object andthe second object, generating a software-defined infrastructure; anddetermining a significant variable for the service, wherein thesignificant variable is determined based on the p-value of the variablereaching a threshold; based on the significant variable of the service,generating traffic for an emulation; collecting logs associated with theemulation; analyzing the logs to quantify the impact of a change of thesignificant variable; and annotating knowledge graph model of theservice based on the quantified impact of the change of the significantvariable. A method, system, computer readable storage medium, orapparatus may provide for obtaining a policy for maintaining a service;parsing the policy to extract a first object; querying for a secondobject based on the first object; based on the first object and thesecond object, determining workload variables exposed by the firstobject and the second object; emulating the service based on the firstobject, second object, and the workload variables; determining asignificant variable for the service based on the emulating; andannotating knowledge graph model of the service based on an impact ofthe change of the significant variable. A method, system, computerreadable storage medium, or apparatus may provide for obtaining a policyfor maintaining a service; parsing the policy to extract a first object;querying for a second object based on the first object; based on thefirst object and the second object, determining workload variables orconfiguration variables exposed by the first object and the secondobject; and emulating the service based on the first object, secondobject, or the workload variables. All combinations in this paragraph(including the removal or addition of steps) are contemplated in amanner that is consistent with the other portions of the detaileddescription.

What is claimed:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memorycoupled with the processor, the memory storing executable instructionsthat when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuateoperations comprising: obtaining a policy for maintaining a service;parsing the policy to extract a first object; querying for a secondobject based on the first object; determining workload variables exposedby the first object and the second object; and annotating a knowledgegraph model of the service based on the first object, the second object,and the workload variables.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, the operationsfurther comprising determining configuration variables exposed by thefirst object and the second object.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinthe configuration variables comprise a number of serving gateways or anumber of packet data network gateways.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein the configuration variables comprise a type of server or anumber of central processing units for a virtual machine.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein: the first object is a serving gateway,and the second object is a mobility management entity.
 6. The apparatusof claim 1, wherein: the first object is a serving gateway, and thesecond object is a virtual network function.
 7. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the first object is a serving gateway.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein: the first object is a network server, and the secondobject is a virtual machine.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: thefirst object is an evolved packet core, and the second object is apacket data network gateway.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: thefirst object is a network server, and the second object is a basestation.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the workload variablescomprise a request rate of an evolved packet core or a number of clientsof an evolved packet core.
 12. A system comprising: one or moreprocessors; and memory coupled with the one or more processors, thememory storing executable instructions that when executed by the one ormore processors cause the one or more processors to effectuateoperations comprising: obtaining a policy for maintaining a service;parsing the policy to extract a first object; querying for a secondobject based on the first object; determining workload variables exposedby the first object and the second object; and annotating a knowledgegraph model of the service based on the first object, the second object,and the workload variables.
 13. The system of claim 12, the operationsfurther comprising determining configuration variables exposed by thefirst object and the second object.
 14. The system of claim 13, whereinthe configuration variables comprise a number of serving gateways or anumber of packet data network gateways.
 15. The system of claim 13,wherein the configuration variables comprise a type of server or anumber of central processing units for a virtual machine.
 16. The systemof claim 12, wherein: the first object is a server, and the secondobject is a base station.
 17. A computer readable storage medium storingcomputer executable instructions that when executed by a computingdevice cause said computing device to effectuate operations comprising:obtaining a policy for maintaining a service; parsing the policy toextract a first object; querying for a second object based on the firstobject; determining workload variables exposed by the first object andthe second object; and annotating a knowledge graph model of the servicebased on the first object, the second object, and the workloadvariables.
 18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, theoperations further comprising determining configuration variablesexposed by the first object and the second object.
 19. The computerreadable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the configuration variablescomprise a number of serving gateways.
 20. The computer readable storagemedium of claim 18, wherein the configuration variables comprise anumber of central processing units for a virtual machine.